Device for cleaning smoking pipes



March 27, 1962 J. POVEC 3,026,882

DEVICE FOR CLEANING SMOKING PIPES Filed Sept. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTOR. .U- 5 JOHN POVEC March 27, 1962 J. POVEC DEVICE FOR CLEANING SMOKING PIPES INVENTOR. \JOHN ,POVEC United States Patent 3,026,882 DEVICE FOR CLEANING SMOKING PIPES John Povec, 1649 Stephen St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Sept. 2, 1960, Ser. N 0. 53,767 2 Claims. (Cl. 131-Z44) This invention concerns a device for cleaning smoking pipes.

According to the invention there is provided a tank" containing water and means for heating the water to form steam. A cap is mounted on the tank having a passage therethrough for steam produced in the tank. The cap is adapted to receive and support the bowl of a smoking pipe. The mouthpiece portion of the pipe may be inserted laterally into an auxiliary tank providing an exhaust chamber for the steam and a collection chamber for tars and nicotine cleaned from the pipe by action of the steam. The pipe mouthpiece portion is inserted through one of a plurality of resilient valve members in the side of the auxiliary tank. When the pipe mouthpiece portion is removed the valve members automatically close. Connected to the valve members is a tube which is vertically supported and opens below the level of water contained in the auxiliary tank. A valve controlled water inlet is provided for filling the steam generation tank and the auxiliary tank with water.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide an improved steam cleaning device for smoking pipes.

A further object is to provide a steam cleaning device for a smoking pipe adapted to support a pipe having a curved or straight mouthpiece portion and to clean both bowl and stem of the pipe.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a device embodying the invention, with a smoking pipe in position to be cleaned.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on a reduced scale taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a valve mem- I ber of the device taken on line 5--5 of 'FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a fiat base plate made of a sutiable refractory material such as porcelain. A circular groove 12 is formed in the plate. The bottom end of a cylindrical tank 14 seats in the groove; see FIG. 3. This tank has a horizontal partition 16 which serves as the bottom of a chamber 18 in which water 20 is contained. An electric heater 22 is disposed below the partition 16 in chamber 15. This heater, as shown, includes a circular ceramic plate 24 carrying resistance heater coil 26 in grooves 27. The coil terminates in a plug 28 to which socket 30 at the end of electric cord 32 is detachably connected. The cord terminates in a plug 31 adapted to be plugged into any convenient power source. Holes 33 in the wall of the tank admit air to the heater chamber in which the heater 22 is located. Detachably mounted on the open top of the cylindrical tank is a resilient rather conical rubber cap 34 having a vertical passage 36 extending axially therethrough and connecting the interior of chamber 18 with the exterior of the cap. The lower end of the passage is enlarged at 38. A plurality of branch passages 40 may be formed at the top of the cap communicating with axial passage 36. A skirt 42 "ice is formed around the cap at the bottom thereof. This flexible skirt fits frictionally on the top of the tank to seal the tank efiectively. Steam forms in a space S above the level of water in the tank.

The tank is filled with water via a branch pipe 44 connected to a valve 46 controlled by handle 48 and supplied with Water via conduit 49 from a suitable source of water. Pipe 44 extends through the wall of the tank into space S and is threaded in the wall of the tank. 7 An auxiliary tank 50 is supported on the plate 10 by a post 52 anchored in the plate. The post has a lateral extension 54 adapted to be adjustably attached by screws 56 to an apertured arm 58 carried by a ring 60encircling tank 14. A spring clamp 62 engages around the neck 64 at the lower end of tank 50 and is secured to arm 59 of post 52. Tank 50 has the outward appearance of an inverted bottle or jar. Itmay be made of glass or other transparent material. A cap 66 is removably mounted on the lower end of the tank on neck 64 which is threaded at 68. Branch pipe 45 extends from valve 46 through a plug 47 in the Wall of the tank 50 for filling it with water 69 under control of the valve 46.

The open top of the cylindrical body of tank 50 is closed by a cover 70 having perforations 72 for releasing air from the chamber 51 in the tank 50. Cover 70 is engaged on threads 71 at the top of the tank. Openings 75 and 76 are formed in the side of the tank 50. Inserted in these openings are resilient cylindrical valvemembers 77, 78 in the form of sponge rubber plugs. The members 77 and 78 have axial slits 79, 80 extending up to enlarged passages 82, 84 at the ends of the members. The upper member 77 is fitted into the upper end of a cylindrical tube 85 while member 78 is fitted in an opening 86 in the side of tube 85 near its upper end. The members 77, 78 support the tube 85 axially in the tank with its lower end submerged below the level of water 69 in the tank 50.

In operation of the device, the bowl 90 of a pipe P having a straight mouthpiece portion 92 is placed over the apex of cap 34 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, so that the interior walls I of the bowl are exposed to the flow F of steam generated in chamber 18. The mouthpiece portion 92 is inserted through the slit 79 in valve member 77 up to passage 82. Normally the valve members 77, 78 are closed due to their resiliency, but a pipe mouthpiece portion can be pushed into the slit and through a valve member from the recess 83 formed at the outer end of the valve member. If a pipe P having a curved mouthpiece portion 92', as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, is to be cleaned, the curved mouthpiece portion will extend into valve member 78. In any case one of the valve members will be closed while a pipe mouthpiece portion is inserted in the remaining valve member. The steam flow will pass through the pipe mouthpiece portion cleaning this part of the pipe along with the bowl 90 and pipe shank 91.

The steam laden with debris removed from the pipe will pass down tube 85 and will be discharged into the water reservoir 69. The steam will condense there. Any air carried with the steam will be discharged through openings 72 in the cap 70. The water 69 can be changed by removing the drain cap 66. A faucet 95 can be provided in cap 66 if desired. Water is replaced in chambers 18 and 51 simultaneously by turning valve handle 48. The water level in each chamber can be controlled by faucet 95 in cap 66 and by faucet 98 in tank 14.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction here in disclosed and that various changes and modifications may'benia'de withir'rthe'scope"of'the invention as defined in the appended claims?" Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by" United States Letters Pat- 1. A- smokirig pipe cleaning device; comprising a first tank' for-containing Water, heater means associated with the tank for converting the-water to steam, resilient cap means removably' mounted on-the-tankysaidcap means having ""a 'passa'getherethrough" for -conveying-- st'earrrfrorn the tank, said' cap means; having an -aper-w tured apex adapted to support a bowl' of "a' pipe'to -re-' ceive steam-frorn=the tank, asecond -tanlo adapted "to be' partially filled with water coupled withthe first-named tank-a paifof 'valve* members having resilient bodiesmounted'in-awaH of the -second tank, each of said bodie's having a self-closing passage adapted to receive and hold the' mouthpiece portion of a pipe to receive steam carrying debris-removed from the interior'ofthe' pipe, a" reservoir in the second tank, saidsecond tank having a centrally disposed vertically arranged tubular conduit connected to and supported by said pair of valve 1, wherein the valve members are vertically displaced and 1 arranged-smas'to receive and hold the mouthpiece portion of a curved or a straight stemmed pipe when the' bowl thereof is supportedon' said aperturedapex portion of the first tank.

References Cited in thefile ofsthispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 650,249 Hodge, May 22, 1900 949,891 Hall Feb. 22, 1910 1,278,464 Henning et al -Sept. 10, 1918 

